PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | September, 2017

NEWTOWN TWP. >> It was a short practice week.

That didn’t mean practices would be anything but long for the Marple Newtown’s players. The Tigers needed to put their **** Central League loss to Haverford behind them and spend time preparing for Lower Merion.

“Things that happened are over with,” senior quarterback Anthony Paoletti said. “This was our week to restart and to do things better.”

Paoletti, who struggled through the loss to the visiting Fords, was 20-for-29 passing for 231 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers rolled to a 44-13 Central League victory over visiting Lower Merion Thursday.

Marple (4-2, 3-1) did enough in the first half to claim a 16-6 lead after two quarters. Paoletti and Aaron Diamond teamed up on a 46-yard completion in the second minute of the game, and Marlon Weathers banged in from one yard away two plays later for the first score.

Four minutes later, it was Paoletti to Weathers on a screen pass for 25 yards and six more points.

Lower Merion got a 42-yard Marek D’Alonzo to Jalen Goodman scoring pass early in the second quarter, while penalties and running plays for losses kept the Tigers out of the end zone in the period.

Luke Ciavardelli booted a 25-yard field goal on the last play of the half to give MN a 16-6 lead at the break.

Coach Chris Gicking got the home team fired up with his halftime talk, and Marple Newtown needed only four plays to drive for scores on its first two possessions of the third quarter. Paoletti had scoring passes to Luke Cantwell and Alden Mathes, the second coming less than a minute after a Cantwell interception.

Three plays after a Kyle Tobin sack in the fourth quarter, Weathers ran 30 yards for his third TD.

Backup quarterback Rodgers Roberts ran 46 yards for Lower Merion’s final points, and sophomore Andrew Cantwell returned the Aces’ kickoff 80 yards to close out the scoring for the Tigers.

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Marple Newtown’s Alden Mathes hauls in a pass in the second quarter of Marple Newtown’s 44-13 win over Lower Merion Thursday. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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NETHER PROVIDENCE >> On the first day of any Strath Haven football training camp, before the first practice, once, then twice, then again, the running backs will hear Kevin Clancy’s eternal and proven rule.

They will hear it. They will remember it. And on some nights, they will bring it to entertaining fulfillment.

“We’re not a ‘hands’ team,” is the way Nick O’Connor remembered Lesson No. 1. “We come in. And we get after you with our shoulder pads.”

The idea is for the Panthers’ backs to know that their purpose is not just to carry the ball or to catch the occasional pass. At Strath Haven, the idea is for one back to block for the other, and vice versa. So it was Thursday at George L. King Field, when the Panthers’ relentless backfield blockers produced enormous holes for one another in a 44-7 victory over visiting Penncrest. With the Media Bowl trophy on the line, along with the opportunity to swing some momentum into the business end of the Central League schedule, the Panthers produced runs of 44, 41 and 22 yards, not including an 89-yard TD run from Ibrahim Pio, a 48-yard score by O’Connor and a 43-yard six-point sprint by John Francis.

While playoff berths are not born simply from highlights-film entries, those loud plays are the result of practice, execution and policy. Ahead early, largely because Sean Daly was able to rush for 137 yards one substantial chunk at a time, the Panthers were at their dedicated best when Pio scored with 8:52 to play. Penncrest had just penetrated to the Strath Haven three before a long loss of a fumble. And one penalty and one play from scrimmage later, Pio was on his 89-yard tour to the end zone. The backfield blocking schemes, naturally, were critical. So, too, though was Pio’s attention, going back to that first practice months earlier.

“Right before I got the handoff, the defense said, ‘No. 10 is getting the ball,’” said Pio, who wears that particular number. “So in my mind, I was a little worried that they were about to get me. I got the handoff. I made a 90-degree cut on the sweep. That’s what we were trained to do on the first day of training camp. The 90-degree cut: You’ve got to make it; that’s how you score touchdowns.

“So I make the cut. And Ethan Belville, No. 44, who is the best blocker I’ve ever seen this year, clears a hole and a path right to the end zone. I took it right to the house.”

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NEWTOWN SQUARE >> Haverford High players gathered around to cheer on coach Joe Gallagher as he tried to — pardon the outdated expression — bust a move on the field. Coach Gal did a little shuffle move — or whatever they’re calling it these days — to the delight of his players. The Fords had reason to dance.

They had blanked host Marple Newtown in a battle of Central League unbeatens. The final score, 35-0, hardly does it any justice. The Fords were led by a savage defensive front seven and ballhawking secondary. And, by the way, the offense continues to be one of the best in Delaware County. Junior quarterback Jake Ruane had one of the top single-game quarterback performances in school history, going 24-for-30 with 276 yards and three touchdowns.

In all facets, the Fords (5-0, 4-0) dominated the Tigers (3-2, 3-1). Tim Campli has been a star all year for Haverford’s defensive line. He was busy chasing All-Delco quarterback Anthony Paoletti, along with linemates John Higson, Matt Young and CJ Weh. Haverford, which has one of the best defenses Gallagher’s ever coached, made life miserable for Paoletti and the Marple Newtown offensive line.

“We just knew that this was our season, this was a big game for us,” said Campli, who is one of many first-year starters on the Fords defense. “We have all been friends and we all come together. With a lot of us, this is our first year of varsity, but we played together on JV the last two years. That has helped.”

The Delaware-bound Paoletti finished 17-for-38 with 139 yards and four interceptions. Shane Mosley had two of those picks.

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Haverford receiver Carington Hooks hauls in a touchdown in the third quarter against Marple Newtown Saturday night, one of three thrown by quarterback Jake Ruane in a dominant 35-0 win over Marple Newtown. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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The Lower Merion High School volleyball team improved its record to 6-2 with a 3-0 win against Penncrest Monday, posting scores of 25-16, 29-27, 25-20. Erica Salutric and Marie Hamilton combined for 26 kills, while Adi Segal and Mika Zapf combined for 49 digs.

Three days earlier, Segal became the first Lower Merion player ever to reach 1,000 career digs in a 3-2 loss against Sun Valley, as the Aces posted scores of 25-18, 17-25, 25-15, 25-27, 15-12.

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Adi Segal became the first Lower Merion player to reach 1,000 career digs.

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It’s the midway point of the Delco football regular season, and four Central League teams remain undefeated in the conference. That will change this weekend. In the game of the week, Marple Newtown (3-1) hosts Haverford High (4-0) Saturday night. The Tigers and Fords are tied atop the Central League standings alongside Garnet Valley and Springfield. Garnet Valley (4-0) looks to stay perfect against Strath Haven (2-2), while Springfield (4-0) travels to Penncrest (1-3).

Haverford (4-0) at Marple Newtown (3-1), 7

The Fords have won three of their four games by an average of 40.6 points. The defense, though, continues to fly under the radar. Led in part by linemen Dan Young and Tim Campli, the Fords have allowed more than 200 yards in a game only once. The Fords lead the county in turnover margin (plus-8). Jordan Mosley, a Maryland commit, has caught a touchdown pass from junior Jake Ruane in every game.

With their 14-12 victory, Tigers defeated Ridley for the first time since 2005. Marlon Weathers led the offense with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown. Jake Simpson paced the defense with two fumble recovers and Aaron Diamond sealed the win with an interception.

Haverford and Marple Newtown rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Daily Times Super 7.

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Springfield – Harriton freshman Saige Roshkoff grew up playing tennis with her father Rob on the Harriton courts, hoping to one day play tennis for the Rams.

On Sept. 17, Roshkoff proudly represented the school she so longed to play for winning the Central League singles tournament defeating Conestoga High School’s Cassidy Landau 6-0, 6-0 in the finals at the Healthplex in Springfield.

“I have been looking forward to joining the Harriton varsity tennis team team for a long time,” said Roshkoff, who entered the Central League tournament as the top seed. “From a very young age, I have been playing on the Harriton courts with my dad before school, after school and on the weekends.  It’s an honor to represent the state championship Harriton team in the post-season as a freshman. Its exciting to play against upperclassmen and the top players in the League in my first year.  I can’t wait to do my best and represent Harriton in Districts.”

Throughout the two day tournament that began Sept. 16, Roshkoff used an aggressive style that enabled her to win the tournament without dropping a set defeating Haverford High School’s Lia Robben, Conestoga’s Priya Aravindham (eighth seed) and Lower Merion’s Cecilia Angert Denis (fourth seed). Roshkoff’s win was the latest for a Harriton player following Nina Hoog the past two seasons.

Against Landau, who entered the tournament as the second seed, Roshkoff’s aggressive style played to her advantage. After watching the end of the semi-final match between Landau and Radnor High School’s Kanon Ciarrocchi, Roshkoff knew the strategy she had to employ.

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RADNOR >> When Cece Peden lunged into the tackle in July, she heard a pop and feared the worst.

The midfielder had endured the physical and psychological brunt of a ligament injury after tearing her left ACL in April 2016, which wiped out her junior season at Haverford High. But in the last club tournament of the summer with FC USA, Peden trudged off the Tuckahoe Turf Farms in South Jersey nursing a limp on her right leg and the worst of suspicions.

Barely eight weeks on, Peden’s quandaries now include which of her cranky knees most requires a brace on a given day. But that problem on the soccer field is better than most others off of it. And as Peden’s goal in the Fords’ 3-0 Central League win over Radnor Tuesday showed, it’s an easily solvable one.

Peden snapped a perfect header off a corner kick by Rebekah Cunningham in the 68th minute, the Fords’ second tally and a back-breaker to Radnor’s resolve. Peden wriggled loose of her marker and planted a downward header that left a sprawling Anna Gurian no chance in the Radnor net. The goal was Peden’s second of the season, the first coming in a lopsided win over Upper Darby last week. But the situation and the stakes of Tuesday’s tally imbue it with special significance.

“I felt like maybe this was the time (a goal) would come, and then I made sure I saw where the goal was and tried to just keep it down,” Peden said with a beaming smile. “Offensively, we always say, ‘head it down,’ and usually I get it wide. So I was so happy seeing it go in and I was so surprised.”

Sophomore Maya LeBlanc opened the scoring in the first half, and Annalena O’Reilly capped it with six seconds to play via a stunning chip from near midfield. Peden’s emotions Tuesday seemed distant from the worry of that July afternoon. Peden’s ACL tear the previous spring cost her a special campaign with the Fords, who qualified for the District 1 Class 4A playoffs and won the program’s first playoff game, all with Peden as a bittersweet spectator.

“That was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “… It’s just so hard to not feel like — I know I was a part of the team but to not feel like I was helping out at all when they were being so successful. I felt so bad and was just like, I wish I could play and be able to help them out.”

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The senior golfer helped lead Conestoga (10-0 as of Monday) to five victories in a week (including three Central League opponents), averaging 36 per nine holes. A first team All-Central League golfer last fall, his stellar week included a one-under-par 34 at Gulph Mills to help Conestoga defeat The Haverford School by one stroke. Off the course, Cook is a member of the Stoga Supports the Wounded Warrior Project club, the First Tee of Conestoga club, the Paddle Tennis Club, and Student Executive Council.

Fun facts – Alex Cook

Favorite book: Outliers, by Malcom Gladwell.

Favorite TV show: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Favorite movie: Step-Brothers.

Favorite athlete: Tiger Woods.

Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.

Favorite pre-game meal: PB and J.

Family members: parents Louise and Michael, brother Michael.

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SPRINGFIELD >> The scoreboard wound up reading like a blowout, but Friday’s Central League meeting between Springfield and Strath Haven was anything but. The Cougars, clinging to a one-touchdown lead to begin the fourth quarter, dominated the final period and ran away with a 41-13 victory to advance to 4-0 and 3-0 in league play. Ja’Den McKenzie rushed for 150 yards and turned the tide with a 73-yard fumble return during the decisive frame. He added a 30-yard scoring run to cap the game. But it was his opportunistic defensive play — Springfield was up by 14 points with 10 minutes to go and Strath Haven was driving — that allowed the hosts to finally exhale.

“I was coming in (to) pursue it,” McKenzie explained. “Next thing I know, I saw the ball fly up in the air. I had to grab it and just take off to the house.”

Pat Clemens forced the fumble, popping the ball loose from Sean Daly, who otherwise ran spectacularly for 114 yards. The Wing-T caused all kinds of problems for Springfield, which yielded 150 yards on the ground. Strath Haven (2-2, 2-1) was without top back Zack Hussein, but it didn’t waver. Daly ran effectively, as did Nick O’Connor. Jake Fisher passed for 95 yards. The Panthers impressed.

“That’s what they look like when they’re missing a guy?” Springfield coach Chris Britton said. “They’re a good offense, they’ve always been a good offense. And we have some stuff to clean up.”

As the game wore on and the yards piled up, Springfield grew frustrated. It was ahead 20-0 before a 14-play, 73-yard drive was capped by Daly’s four-yard burst late in the first half. Strath Haven took nearly nine minutes off the clock to begin the second half, running 15 plays to cover 72 yards and scoring on Fisher’s six-yard pass to Dan Reeves. On fourth-and-goal, no less. It was suddenly 20-13. What else did Strath Haven coach Kevin Clancy have up his sleeve?

“There’s a reason why he has 250 wins,” Britton said.

That score woke Springfield up. It answered with an effective drive, capped by Jake Psenicska’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Liam DiFonzo right up the seam. The Panthers then gained 33 quick yards, but that’s when McKenzie found the football floating in midair. He put the jets on, and that was that. A gritty Strath Haven effort wasn’t going to be enough.

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